For More Information Contact CALPIRG 415-206-9338
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Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR) 415-981-3939
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NEWS RELEASE

Public Schools to Notify Parents about Pesticide Use

Coalition Releases New "Healthy Schools Pesticide Action Kit"
[San Francisco, CA] As families gear up for the new school year, parents across the
state will receive first ever notification about the use of harmful pesticides in
their children's schools, thanks to requirements of a new law, the Healthy Schools
Act.

"I'm proud to have led the fight for healthy schools and to
see it pay off in greater protection for California's children," said Kevin
Shelley (D- San Francisco/San Mateo), who authored the Healthy Schools Act (AB 2260).
"Toxics and pesticides don't mix. I know parents will use this information to
learn about how to protect their kids from the dangers of pesticides." Assembly
Majority Leader Kevin Shelley joined members of the Healthy Schools Campaign Coalition
today as they released a new kit to help parents, students and school staff understand
the new law and how they can use it to implement least-toxic pest control policies
in their districts.

"Parents should be on the lookout for written notice of pesticide
use in their "back to school" forms," said Nancy Spradling, Executive
Director of the California School Nurses Organization (CSNO). "Notification
is a key component of this new law which was supported by CSNO to give parents, teachers,
staff and students access to critical information about pesticide use in schools."

The Healthy Schools Campaign, including the PTA, CSNO, Physicians
for Social Responsibility, CALPIRG, and other health and children's advocates today
released a new kit to help parents, students and school staff understand the new
law and how they can use its provisions to implement least-toxic pest control policies
in their districts. The publication, "Healthy Schools Pesticide Action Kit"
(PAK) is available free of charge by calling 888-CPR-4880 or visiting http://www.calhealthyschools.org

"Parents, teachers and school officials will be able to use
this kit to understand the law, and how to protect kids from exposure to dangerous
pesticides," said Teri Olle, Toxics Program Director of the California Public
Interest Research Group (CALPIRG), a co-author of the PAK. "The Healthy Schools
Act takes the first step of giving us information about pesticide use, but now concerned
parents, teachers and school districts should turn this information into action to
make sure kids are protected."

Many studies indicate that children are especially susceptible
to pesticide poisons. Because their bodies are still developing and because they
play on the ground and put objects in their mouths, kids are at risk of greater exposure
and harm. Childhood cancers, asthma, and other serious health problems are on the
rise in California. Surveys show that many school districts now use pesticides linked
to these diseases as well as nerve poisons, reproductive toxins and acutely toxic
pesticides.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," said
Felix Aguilar, M.D., M.P.H., and Board President of Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los
Angeles. "We should do everything we can to take precautionary measures to protect
children from unnecessary exposure to dangerous pesticides. Pesticides may trigger
asthma attacks and have been linked to certain types of childhood cancer and learning
disabilities. School districts should work toward eliminating pesticides from the
school site to protect kids."

In California, surveys of public schools indicate that toxic pesticide
use is widespread-and that parental notification is almost nonexistent. In response,
lawmakers passed the Healthy Schools Act, which provides parents the right to know
about pesticide use in their children's schools while promoting least-toxic IPM as
the preferred policy of the state. Least-toxic IPM employs common sense preventative
approaches, prioritizes children's health, and often saves schools money in the long
run. A growing number of school districts around the country have found that effective
pest control is possible without toxic pesticides. Some California school districts
that have taken the lead in protecting children's health by adopting strong IPM policies
include Oakland Unified, Arcata, Kentfield, Placer Hills Union, San Francisco Unified,
Ventura Unified, and Los Angeles Unified. ### To order a copy of the Healthy Schools
Pesticide Action Kit, call 888-CPR-4880 (outside California, 415-981-3939) or visit
the Healthy Schools Website: http://www.calhealthyschools.org. --